Flame arrester



May 25,'19z 1,586,195

H. H. HALL FLAME ARRESTER Filed Dec. 6 1924 SW02 may.

Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED STATES nunmvrn. HALL, or sAN .rnANcIsco, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR' TOSTANDARD OIL warm, or sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A conroRAT oN orCALIFORNIA FLAME Annnsrnn.

lication-med December a, 1924. Serial Nb. 154,452.

This invention relates to a flame arr-ester adapted for use in pipelines for conveying inflammable mixtures of vapors or gases,

and is more particularly directed to a device for use in a pipe line orother .conveyor or container, which will allow the unobstructed flow ofvapor or gas under normal condi tions, and in case of. fire willautomatically arrest the flame.

In the use of pipe lines for conveying or carrying inflammable mixturesof vapors or gases, there is a danger that such lines may. be the meansof increasing the fire risk involved; for instance, if the roofs ofseveral tanks areconnected by vapor lines, fire originatin in one of thetanks might be transmitte withstand an-explosion of -cons1derable vio Anobject of, this invention is to provide means for preventin a flame orexplosion pressure in a pipe line or other container carrying gas orjaor's, from passing the point at which the evice is located.

to provide. and deflecting the An object of this invention is means forinterruptin progress of a flame wit in a pipe line.

An object of this invention is to provide a flame arrester having meanstherein for controlling the pressure in the pipe line.

An object of this-invention is to provide an explosion hatch adapted tobe located in a pipe line or other container carrying gases or vaporshaving a cover which will open at "a predetermined pressure, and meanstherein for deflecting the force of the explosion' against the saidcover.

Other ob'ects and advantages of this invention wi be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodito the others. bythe propaga-. tion of a flame or explosion through the con-" mentthereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pipe line connecting a pair of storagetanks and illustrating this? invention embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a plan View, partly in section, of

an' arrester embodying this invention.

Fig. 3 1s a side elevation, partly in section, of a flame arresterembodying this invention, as illustrated in Fig. 2, with one of theflame arresting screens and compartment therefor removed 'Fig. 4 is asectional side elevation of a acuum relief valve embodied in thisinvention.

Fig.- 5 is a sectional plan taken substantially'on the line 55 of Figure4;.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a pipe line of suitable size for conveyingvapors or gases between the tanks 22, in which line 1 pressure andvacuum relief valves 3-'3 and 4 are adapted to control the pressure andvacuum in the tanks 2-2 and line 1, which pressure and vacuum reliefvalves 3+3 and 4 are the subject matter of the copending application ofJohn Kuhl, filed November 25, 1924, Serial No. 752,276.

Located in the pipe line 1 are flame arresters ,5, illustrated aslocated within the fire banks 6 surrounding each tank 2, it,

however, being understood that such flame arresters 5 may be located atany convenient point-or points in the pipe line 1, or used in gas orvapors.

Gate valves 7 are illustrated as embodied with the pipe line 1 so thatany tank 2 can be isolated from the vapor line system for oil tanks, asdescribed in the copending apconnection with other containers carryingmaking a gas-tight joint between the cover 10 and the chamber 9. Intothebottom of the chamber 9 are conducted two or more connections 12 forconducting the gas or vapors into the chamber 9 in upward direction andout of it in a downward direction.

The annular liquid seal 11 is formed by the circular plate 30, whichplate 30 likewise forms the bottom of'the chamber 9,.a rim 31 which issecured to the perimeter of the plate 30 in fluid-tight relation and aring 32 of smaller diameter than the rim 31, which ring 32 is secured tothe upper surface of the late 30. The annular lip 33 of the cover 10 tsinto the liquid seal 11 between the rim 31 and the ring 32 and the cover10 is supported on the upper edge of the ring 32, as illustrated in Fig.3. The conduits 12 and the relief valves 18 are secured in position inholes formed in the plate 30.

Each of these conduit connections 12 may be provided with a flamearrester housing 13. Connection to the pipeline 1 is made by means offlan es 7 or any other convenient means. 13 is connected to theexplosion hatch 8 by means of flanges 7, and contains a screen of finemesh 14, constructed of a material having a high thermal conductivityand preferably of conical construction, as illustrated in Figure 2.These screens 14 are so placed that all the gas or vapor flowing to orfrom the explosion hatch 8 must pass through their meshes.

Inspection holes 15 are screen housing 13, covere rovided in each withplates 16 held in position thereto by means of cap screws 17 or anyother means, making a gastight connection. Preferably mounted with-.

in the explosion hatch 8 are one or more vacuum relief valves 18; thesevalves, together with the loose liquid sealed cover of the hatch,provide auxiliary means of relieving any excessive vacuum or pressurethat may tend to build up in the system to which the flame arrester isconnected. Each vacuumvalve 18 consists of a seat 19 of cast iron orother suitable material containing an annular groove 20, and a valvedisc 21, to which is connected a stem 22 which extends through a hole 23in the seat'19 and into a dash pot 24.

Secured to the valve stem 22 so as to rigidly hold a guide 25 thereon isa pair of cylindrical retaining washers 26. The vacuum valve 18 is heldto the 'main explosion I hatch chamber 9 by means of cap screws 27 orother suitable means.

The dash pot is held to the valve seat 19 by cap screws 28 or othermeans whereby it may be readily removed. The annular groove 20 intowhich the valve disc 21 seats is sealed with mercury or other suitablefluid. The dash pot 24 is filled with oil which serves to damp themovement of the valve disc 21 and effectually prevents chattering orrapid closing which will splash the mercury from its containing groove19. This valve is absolutely gas-tight and can '1 e flame arresterhousing be arranged to open at the slightest pressure, and is notsubject to sticking.

It will be noted from the foregoing that my flame arrester has twoscreens 14 mounted in a,,conduit on opposite sides of the explosionchamber 9. Only the screen 14 on ,the. side remote from the origin ofthe flame in the pipe-line is efle'ctive. The flame passes through thefirst screen 14 readily, is deflected by the right angled bend into theexplosion chamber 9 and then (if it is not entirely diverted intotheatmosphere by the lifting of the explosion hatch) it will only burnquietly up to the second screen 14, where it will be efl'ectiv'elystopped. The two screens 14 are provided so that the device willfunction in either direction, that is, so as to provide a reversiblecarrier for conducting vapors, gases or fluids in either direction inthe pipe line.

The operation of this flame arrester is as follows:

The device functions primarily as a flame arrester and explosionpressure stop in any system of conduits containing explosive gases orvapors to which it may be connected; and secondly as a safety device torelieve pressure or vacuum from within the system in excess of thatdesired. When a fire or an explosion starts at one of the branches ofthe conduit system 1, to which the explosion hatch and screens areconnected, the accompanying explosion pressure first passes one of theexplosion screens 14 and travels in an upward direction fromthe'entrance 12 through the main chamber 9 and, being directed againstthe light door 10, throws the same off. The explosion pressure is thenspent on theoutside air without acting on the other screen 14. The ac-.

companying flame first meets one of the exof its heat and then passesthefirst screen 14 into the explosion chamber and havingpassed through theexplosion chamber the travel of the flame will be arrested efi'ectivelyby the other screen, because the velocity of propagation of both theflame and pressure is reduced greatly by the removal of the cover 10. Asa pressure relief device, the explosion hatch 8 relieves pressure by thelifting of the cover 10, and vacuum by means of the vacuum relief valves18 heretofore described. The pressure and vacuum at which the explosionhatch opens can be controlled within wide limits by varying the weightof the cover 10, the valve disc 21, valve stem 22 and depending parts.

Having fully described a preferred embodiment of this invention, it isto be understood that this invention is not intended to be limited tothe exact construction and use herein set forth, which may obviously blevaried within the spirit of the appended c aims.

Wh t I claim is 4 1. In a flame arrester adapted to be inserted in areversible carrier of combustible fluids, the combination of a body, anexplosion chamber within the body, a pair of right angle connections forconnecting the explosion chamber in the carrier, a pair of flasharresting screens mounted in the carrier adjacent the right angledconnections, the flash arrester remote from the point of grigin of theflash functioning to arrest the ash. I

2. In a flame arrester adapted for use in a carrier for combustiblefluids, the combination of a body, an explosion, chamber formed withinthe body, a right angle inlet connection and a ri ht angle outletconnection connecting the ody in the carrier, and a flame arresteradjacent the exit end of the right angle outlet connection.

3. In a flame arrester adapted for use in a carrier forcombustible-fluids, the combination of a body, an explosion chamberformed within the body, an annular liquidseal formed at the top of thebody, a cover arrester adjacent the exit end of the right angle outletconnection.

4. In a flame arrester adapted for use in a carrier for combustiblefluids, the combination of a body, an explosion chamber formed withinthe body, means for maintaining a predetermined pressure within thecarrier, a right angle inlet connection connecting the body in thecarrier, at right angle outlet connection connecting the body in thecarrier, and a flame arrester adjacent the exit end of the right angleoutlet con nection.

signed at San Francisco, California, this 21st day of November 1924.

HUBERT H. HALL.

